To Save Baelfire
by DaesGatling
Summary: Spoilers for the S3 Finale. AU. Rumple doesn't let Emma go through the portal to go back home. Trapped in the Enchanted Forest while Rumple tries to figure out how to save Bae, Emma has to keep from interfering too much and get back home or she faces spending 28 years under the curse.
1. Chapter 1

Emma had been separated from her family, multiple times and in those times she was always terrified deep down that she would never see them again. She was both a pessimist and a realist. She never had anything good for long before it was ripped away from her. Even these little small moments that she had were only a few before the next emergency hit.

This was just another one of those. Or so she thought. This had been one of the hardest times she'd been separated, especially when she thought she watched her mother burn. It felt like her heart was being ripped out of her chest.

But now she was going home. She had her magic back; she opened a portal…whatever drama happened next would happen. It was inevitable, it happened when one was the savior it felt like. But Emma would enjoy her family while it lasted…and she'd face the drama and she and her family would come out stronger.

She took a moment to savor the victory and walked toward the portal that Hook had leapt through just a few moments ago.

"You opened it!" 

Emma turned as soon as she heard the snarl. Rumpelstiltskin was back and he looked both panicked and angry. He grabbed her arm hard, just below the elbow and dragged her away from the portal, "Wait." 

"Let me go!" she demanded. She knew from experience that these portals didn't stay open long after something went through them.

"My son," he started as Emma looked frantically back at the portal, "What happens when I find him?"

Emma struggled to pull away, but his grip was too strong, "I thought you wanted to forget!"

"Before I do, I need to know….does he forgive me?"

Emma fought the rising emotion. She was there for all of it. That day Rumpelstiltskin was dying and Baelfire forgave him. That night in Neverland when they were going home and made amends again after he found out that Rumpelstiltskin had thoughts about wanting to kill their son….and she'd been there for that final goodbye; as Neal lay dying in her arms with Rumpelstiltskin right by her side, holding his son's hands.

It was everything that was going through her mind as she watched him, "Yes."

She hoped that that would be enough, but he saw more in her look and voice than just a simple affirmation of forgiveness, "Yes but what?!"

Emma struggled to get loose, he wouldn't release her, "What aren't you telling me? Tell me or you will never leave"

Emma thought about her own son…and her family that she might never see if she didn't answer. The emotion rose in her throat and it took everything she had to answer him, "He dies."

Horror crossed Rumpelstiltskin's face as he realized everything he did, everything he put her through would be for nothing.

"He forgives you," she told him, there was so much she wanted to tell him, that he needed to hear about his son but she couldn't. She only had to tell him the basic things so that she could get home "He loved you. He died to save all of us. Don't let that be in vain." 

"I-I-I can change what happened," he told her. It didn't sound like he was talking to her though, more to himself while hoping for her approval, "I can save my boy."

"You could change the future but you might make it worse," she told him, tears fell down her face. She wanted Neal back….more than anything. He'd left so much behind that wasn't done. There were so many things that she never got to say to him…that Henry never got to say. And it ripped her in two that she had to tell him this. It hurt to refuse to let him save his own son but she'd seen firsthand what interference could do. Her voice broke, "I loved him too, I wanted to save him…he died a hero…you can't take that away from him. You HAVE to drink the potion."

His grip didn't loosen, but she saw that maybe her words were affecting him as he looked down at the bottle, "You have to forget everything I just told you." 

For a moment, it might look like he would. It looked like he would take the potion and let her go. She even thought his grip loosened for a moment

"Would you?" he pulled her away from the portal.

Emma let out a cry as the portal closed behind her. She shoved him away from her, hard, "What have you done?"

"I'm saving my son," he threw the potion down. Emma cringed as the glass shattered, the room amplified the noise, "You're going to help me." 

"I can't," Emma told him.

"You will."

"I won't tell you anything."

"Oh dearie," he said, his voice lowered and he gave her a snarl "This is my son we're talking about. You don't get a choice." 


	2. Chapter 2

Rumpelstiltskin had accepted a long time ago that he was a manipulator, monster, a coward…he was everything they claimed he was for the most part. This decision for him should not be hard. He was willing to rip apart worlds for his son. He was ready to destroy everyone else's family if it meant getting just a glimpse or even better, a conversation with his son.

This woman was the key to that. He couldn't let her go. He had to know it wasn't all for nothing. His son died. He couldn't accept that in the end, it was all for nothing. He would never grow old with his son and have grandchildren, he would never see his son happy, living out the rest of his days with a wife and growing children….Baelfire would be gone. He would be alone and all this manipulating he did, all these games will have been for nothing.

He couldn't reunite with his son just to lose him again.

It should be an easy decision to keep this woman from crossing over.

It wasn't.

He didn't understand why either. Maybe it was because she'd gone through all this to avoid changing history and then to fix it only for him to decide her lesson she learned didn't apply to him. Maybe it was because he kept her from her family.

Maybe it was because she told him she loved Baelfire.

There was a story there. He wasn't sure what it was, he wasn't sure if she'd ever tell him now….or if he'd find out later in his future...it didn't matter though. If she loved him, if she wanted him then they could be happy. He'd make sure of it.

So really, he was doing her a favor too.

She had magic powerful enough to open portals, which meant that she could easily get out of whatever he set for her if he didn't set the proper precautions. So he managed to dampen her magic as he pulled her out of the vault and he locked her in a room in one of the towers until he could figure out what to do.

He certainly couldn't leave her in the vault, she'd get hurt.

He left her alone all that evening and all that night. He didn't go to sleep…he didn't need to sleep anyway, one of the more human traits that were gone that he certainly didn't miss. He spun; he tried to extinguish his own guilt. Emma probably thought that he was going to torture the answer out of her but he wasn't. He couldn't. She loved Baelfire and maybe Baelfire loved her back. He wouldn't hurt her. If he was good to her, then that might endear her more to tell him what he needed to know.

Rumpelstiltskin was at his wheel the next morning when Belle came in, "Good morning."

He grumbled his good mornings and focused on his work. He didn't need her. He needed to think….there had to be a way to save his son.

But if he didn't know how he lost his son then how did he know how to save him? 

"Um….," Belle looked at the table and then to him, "Should I make breakfast for three?" 

"Huh? Why?" 

Belle looked amused and worried, "For our….guest." 

Oh yeah, he had to feed her…usually he left the food thing to Belle, "Yes, do what you wish."

"She didn't eat the supper I put by her door last night."

"Hm."

"I think I Heard some things breaking. I knocked on the door but-." 

The alarm of these two chatting made him stand with a start, "Don't talk to her."

"But-."

"Don't Belle. Not until I talk to her first and get some things straightened out."

Belle almost looked offended, "She got a room with a view and I still sleep with in the dungeon." 

"I only spoil the girls I don't like," he said over his shoulder and waved his hand. A breakfast fit for a king appeared on the table. It was bad enough Emma was being kept from her time and her family against her will. It was bad enough he was keeping her locked in a tower…

He wasn't going to put her through Belle's hotcakes too.

Rumpelstiltskin grabbed a tray and fixed it with the best from each plate, "Go ahead and eat, Belle."

"Without you?"

"Not sure it'll be warm when I get down," he picked the tray up and went to walk out of the room, "This one's stubborn, might take me a bit."

"What's she to you?" Belle asked as he was almost out the door.

"Don't worry," he muttered, "She's not here to replace you."

If he didn't know any better, he heard her exhale in relief, "What's she to you, then? You didn't answer my question."

Always, always, always, questions.

"She's a guide," he told her, "To answers."

"What? Like a seer?

"Have you ever seen a seer?" he asked in frustration, "Those things are terrifying. They have eyes in impractical places."

He carried the tray up to where he put Emma. The dinner Belle brought up to her was still by the door last night. Emma could've opened it if she wanted, it wasn't the door holding her back, it was the force field he put around her rom.

The door flew open as he approached. Everything was broken around the room with the exception of the bed. There were shards of glass and splintered wood everywhere. She'd even ripped up the pillows.

She was sitting at the window seat; he could tell from her stance that she was giving the rosebushes outside a good glaring.

"You done with your tantrum?" 

"You done with holding me hostage?"

He sighed, oh here they went. She was still angry with him, "I brought you breakfast."

"I'm not hungry."

"You're not going to solve anything if you starve yourself."

"I'm not eating anything you have to offer. Might keep me here half a year and then return half a year as a compromising trade."

He felt confused, "Wh-what?"

"Hades and Persephone, what, is Greek Mythology the only mythology this place doesn't have?"

Hades and Persephone, who were they? Would they deal? He should deal with them…

"You need to eat," he told her again, "This won't keep you here, I don't need food to keep you trapped here, I can do it myself."

He put the tray down and waved his hand. Everything repaired itself and was back in its place.

Emma watched the magic without emotion, "Please let me go."

"You know I can't."

"It's easy, all you have to do is give me back that wand and give me that magic back."

"Emma," he realized how tired he sounded, "It's my son. I would do anything for him." 

"You know what changing things will do. We just went through this. Please," she begged, "I have a son too. Don't make him grow up without me. Nea- Bae wouldn't want that." 

There was something about that. Why should Baelfire care that her son grew up alone? Well he would but…this was different.

Unless….

_I loved him too…._

He gave a small exhale, his breath quickened and he gave an excited happy smile, "I'm to be a grandfather?"

Emma hesitated, he saw the fear in her eyes, "Yes…and if you change things…he might not be born, or he might grow up without either one of his parents….if you don't send me back, I could die here." 

"I can help," he told her, "I can keep you safe."

Emma glared at him, "Where were you then when I grew up alone? Without my family? I thought I was abandoned on the side of the road because you wanted to reunite with Neal. Did you keep me safe then?"

He flinched. She grew up without parents. So had Baelfire apparently.

He grew up and fathered a son….

Oh gods, his boy was nursing a simple crush when he saw him last. How did he work through his baby boy having a baby?

"He could grow up an orphan," Rumpelstiltskin acknowledged, "If you don't do what I say and get yourself killed. But if we play this right….your son could have both parents." 

Emma's face fell, "Rumpelstiltskin…please…"

"He grew up fatherless because of me," Rumpelstiltskin pleaded, "I can't stand by and let him die and let his son suffer the same fate. I can fix this; I have to make it right. Everything happens for a reason, right? Perhaps that's why you're here. To save Bae."

Emma put her head in her hands.

"We can fix this," he told her, "Let me fix it."

"You can't change what's happened already."

"It happened for you, it didn't happen for me," he told her, "This is my future. Anyone can change their future."

"I'm not sure it works like that." 

"Yes it can," he told her and pointed to the tray, "Eat something; we have a lot of work to do."


	3. Chapter 3

He gave her breakfast but Emma refused to eat it. Lunch came, so did dinner, Emma refused to eat any of it. Maybe if she remained strong in that regards, he could either send her back or let her starve.

She wasn't sure how long she could keep that up though. That food smelled good and if he called her bluff and let her starve to death then she still wouldn't see Henry.

Or he'd force her to eat….which was more likely.

It wasn't that she didn't want Neal back. She did. She wanted him back so much, that she dreamed about his return every night since he died. She wanted him as…whatever they were supposed to be now. She wanted him back as a father to Henry. She wanted him back as that man that took no crap from Rumpelstiltskin and stood up to him.

She wanted to believe that she could save him.

But she also kept her parents from meeting because she stepped on a branch. She almost wasn't born. How was she supposed to believe that saving Baelfire wouldn't have a worse outcome? Her family was alive…the brother whose name she didn't know was safe. Henry was alive, Rumpelstiltskin was saved and Zelena was dead. Emma couldn't hope for a better outcome.

What if they saved Baelfire and it somehow undid that? What if she lost Henry? Or her parents? What if Zelena won and went back and kept them all from existing? This would have been for nothing then.

No, she had to stay strong. Even though the temptation to give in ached in her chest.

She expected Rumpelstiltskin shortly around dinner when she told Belle to take her dinner back. Belle tried to talk to her but Emma ignored her. Belle didn't know anything of what was happening. Emma couldn't trust to confide in Belle. Not because Belle was untrustworthy but because anything she might say, Rumple might overhear.

He arrived right on time after she sent the dinner back. His face was furious; Emma found some satisfaction in that, "I thought I told you to eat!"

"Up yours, I'm not hungry."

"Lie."

Emma scowled, "I'm not going to eat while I'm in a cage."

"You're not in a cage, you're in a room. If you want a cage, I'll put you in a cage."

Emma's turn now, "Lie."

That seemed to piss him off, "Don't test me, Emma."

"You won't do anything to harm me because you don't know what Baelfire feels about me, so you wouldn't dare hurt me because you're scared you'll be successful and I'll tell him all that you did."

He scoffed, "Dearie, a new timeline will have been made. You help me do this and Baelfire will be saved. You'll never have to come back and we won't have this conversation, so you won't remember and Baelfire will never know."

"If you want to torture me, you'd have done so by now."

"I'm not that angry with you yet," he snarled, "But you're getting there."

Emma liked to think she knew him better than that, "Lie. You know if you torture me, I won't tell you anything at all."

He visibly bristled at that. He pointed to the tray he summoned to the table, "Eat."

"What's in it for me if I do?" Emma asked, "All food eating comes at a price."

He gave an amused laugh at that, Emma's blood ran cold at how high pitched it was. Careful there Dark One, don't hurt yourself…

"Good, you know that lesson," he clapped his hands; Emma figured that was to unsettle her. Looking at his creepy face unsettled her, she wasn't sure why he wanted to pile more on top of that, "So many don't."

"You want me to eat or not? What's in it for me?"

"I'll let you…." His face looked thoughtful. He even put a finger to his lips, "Leave your room."

"But not the grounds."

"No dearie, of course not. I can't trust you not to run away. And it'd be for naught for you, you cause chaos by stepping on branches. You don't want to change history, but you'd certainly do it out there with the way you apparently stumble about."

No she wouldn't, she'd just find a way back home.

No, he was right, she didn't know the land still, and she'd probably screw up.

"Anyway," he continued, "The glamor spell goes into effect when you get outside the walls. That wouldn't be wise. Regina's looking for you after you escaped. Your mother may be surviving-."

Emma cringed at that. She didn't want to think about how she nearly lost her…how close she'd been to seeing her mother burn to death. And now he wouldn't let her go so she could find her and tell her she loved her.

"- but you wouldn't. You don't have the same beloved reputation," he summoned a wanted poster that had the face of the woman that she'd been made to look like, "Lovely likeness dearie….but they just can't get your nose right."

Emma forced herself to calm down and she took a few breaths, "Alright, I'll eat if you let me out of the room."

"Deal!" he gave a high pitched giggle. Emma wished he'd stop doing that.

Emma took the tray and bit into the bread. Her mouth watered at the taste. It was soft and had the taste of both honey and butter, like it'd been covered in it before baking. Emma didn't realize how hungry she was. She shoved the bread in her mouth and moved on to the thick stew.

"Gods," he muttered, "You should see yourself, I think your mouth unhinged like a snake."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Being let out of her room meant getting mostly free reign of the castle…mostly. She imagined there were still rooms that she wasn't allowed to go to. Rumpelstiltskin didn't tell her everything in her world, why should this world where he could be worse be any different? '

Emma finally found her way outside after multiple times of getting lost and she breathed in the fresh air. She lifted her head up and let the sun warm her face. Her window wouldn't open all the way in the room; she thought maybe that was on purpose.

She saw him watching her from one of the towers and sighed. She put the cloak he gave her to ward off the chill of the evening. She walked around the garden for about an hour, trying to get her thoughts together. She glanced up and he stepped away from the window.

Finally.

Emma threw off the cloak and raced to climb the ivy along the wall. She was fully aware that he might know what she was doing and that he could stop her. But she couldn't stay here She had to go find help. Maybe the fairies…maybe they could send her back.

She scrambled to the top of the wall and hoisted herself up to climb it.

And then she hit something….something like an invisible wall. The force that she used to slam into it made her fall back and she lost her grip. The next thing she knew, she was clutching air and tumbling to the ground.

The pain when she hit the ground was agonizing, Emma would've cried out but she was in so much pain that she couldn't even think much less do anything else.

"Oh dearie dear," Rumpelstiltskin towered over her and looked down, "Didn't I warn you not to try and run away? If you'd talked to Belle, she could've warned you not to try that, she already did with the same results when she heard her people were saved. I often wonder how she did it in that big yellow poofy dress….but I suppose there is some magic that not even I should know about."

Emma did have it in her to let out a curse in his direction.

"I certainly might have been the son of one, if my father's stories are anything to go by," Rumpelstiltskin shrugged, "Well dearie, let's try this again."

**A/N: To the anon that's requesting what they're requesting, I"m not going to take the story in that direction. Sorry.**


	4. Chapter 4

Emma was hurt. The pain was agonizing, she was certain she hurt her ribs and her back. At least she had….but Rumpelstiltskin had healed those. The phantom pains remained. Emma wasn't sure if that was part of her own imagination or if he'd kept it on her on purpose.

But he made her keep her broken leg. He put a cast on it. A heavy one that was awkward to move in. Emma didn't really get all that far. Not with the combined pain that she was constantly going through. But she did make it to the chamber pot. It was demeaning and disgusting but she managed to get it done. Better than having to go in the bed. She'd deal with the pain and drained energy.

But mostly she slept. Whatever Rumpelstiltskin put beside her bed in the form of powder, it dulled the pain and allowed her to sleep. Emma used it sparingly but dear God it was effective.

She stirred when she heard something rustle near her. She opened her eyes with a moan and looked up to see Belle picking up and cleaning up the room, "Belle?"

"Oh sorry," Belle whispered, "I….tried to be quiet."

Emma put her hand under her and struggled to sit up. The pain made her eyes fill with tears and she let out a cry.

"Wait," Belle raced over and propped up some pillows so she could lean back, "Just ask for help."

Emma fell back against the pillow with a grunt and slowly let her body relax, "I don't really ask for help."

Belle looked behind her, as if Rumpelstiltskin could suddenly appear, "I'm not really allowed to talk to you."

"You shouldn't then, the last thing I want to do is to get you in trouble."

"He doesn't frighten me." 

"That won't stop him from getting you in trouble."

"Drink this," Belle held the cup to her.

"I don't want any more of it; I just woke up from drinking that. I'm tired of sleeping. Rumpelstiltskin might…get bored and come in here and draw on my face or something."

"What else do you have to do besides sleep?" Belle asked, "What were you thinking? I could've told you that climbing the wall was a bad idea. You didn't think he'd have something ready in case you did that?"

Emma had told herself that a thousand times, "I was sort of hoping that he'd think that plan was too stupid and too obvious that he wouldn't put up anything. Did you really try that too?"

"Yes, once," Belle gave her half a smile, "He didn't let me hit the ground though." 

"Did you try again?" 

"No."

"That's probably why he caught you. If he caught me, I'd have tried to do it again."

Belle gave a bigger smile, "Do you know what he wants?" 

"Yeah, but I'm not going to give it to him."

"He won't like that." 

"I don't care."

"I just don't want to see you hurt."

"I'm already hurt," Emma looked down at her cast.

"He has his ways." 

"He won't, not as long as I have something he wants." 

"Yes but I'm very good at extracting information," Rumpelstiltskin said as he came into the room.

"You can heal her, you know," Belle told him.

"I could but if I do then she'll just try to run away again."

"I won't," Emma held her hand up mockingly, "Pinky promise."

"I don't believe you, dearie."

She glared. Maybe she had lied but getting caught in it made her even angrier.

"Give us a few moments," he told Belle.

Belle looked at Emma. Emma had a feeling that Belle wouldn't leave without her say so. But she didn't want Belle in trouble with Rumple….though she might be turned on by his anger…the less Emma knew about their relationship the better.

She gave a nod. Belle turned to leave, "She needs her sleep."

Rumpelstiltskin scoffed, "She's done nothing but sleep!"

Emma turned her head to stare out the window instead of looking at him.

"Oh dearie, don't be like that, what was I supposed to do? Let you go? Use my magic to catch you? You wouldn't have learned your lesson then."

Silence. 

"I didn't want hurt you but you climbed the wall, dearie. Walls are dangerous; people stumble and tumble all the time."

"If you let me go home, this wouldn't happen."

"Tell me what I want to know and you will."

"Go home to what?" Emma scoffed.

"I suppose its natural fearing the unknown but…."

"You know that I can't tell you anything."

"I'm not going to get in this argument with you, dearie. We just seem to go in circles and circles."

"What do you want?"

He stared down at her leg, "I hurt myself like that once….damaged my ankle…couldn't walk without support."

Emma knew, she remembered how he used to walk with a cane.

"I know how painful that is," he waved his hand. The cast broke apart and fell away. Emma sat up and looked as her leg was healed. It wasn't the sickening mangled mess that had left her throwing up the moment she looked at it. It was healed.

"Thank you," Emma whispered.

"Now you stay put," he scolded, "And stay out of sight. Elsewise, I'm putting you in the dungeons."

Emma noticed the pain was gone in her ribs and back as well.

"And don't try to dig under the wall either dearie; this force field that you're trapped in won't let you out no matter what."

Emma gave him a glare.

She'd just have to find a way through it then. Luckily she was living with the most powerful sorcerer in the world. He had to have a spell or two she could use somewhere.


	5. Chapter 5

Two days passed. Emma spent most of it sleeping. She might have been healed but her body apparently has a lot that he needed to work through in order to heal completely.

When she was awake, she spent her time pouring over books that she 'borrowed' from Belle's library. She'd sneak in there at night and come away with what she thought was useful. Rumpelstiltskin kept the wand Emma needed in the vault with no doors. Emma couldn't get in there to access it. She might be able to if she knew how to teleport but that was something Regina hadn't taught her.

Certainly would've been nice in any situation.

No, Rumpelstiltskin put something around…or…on her or something that dampened her magic. If she could figure out what he did or find a way to amplify it then she could figure it out how to either get home or get away from his control.

She poured over old books, most she had to throw aside because she didn't know the language and she wasn't exactly going to ask Rumpelstiltskin how to read them because then he'd know.

Belle came to get her for food. Emma still refused to come down. She and the Dark One weren't friends and Emma wasn't going to give him that impression that she was softening. Frankly, she was worried that if she gave him so much as a small smile then she'd fall for his plan and want to save Baelfire.

And what could that mean for anyone?

No, Emma had to stay strong. For Henry. For the lessons that she learned here…and for her son.

But the temptation to work with him….the ache to save Bae grew in her chest. She tried to push it down but Emma wondered if one day…what happened if that wouldn't be enough.

So she tried her best to focus. The faster she got out of this snow globe the faster she could focus on getting back to her son.

She was so wrapped up in her work that she didn't have time to shove it under the covers when Rumpelstiltskin came into the room, "I thought I told you to join us for dinner!" 

Emma froze. If she moved the book now, he would notice, she just had to hope that he was too angry at her ignoring him to realize she had one of his books in front of her, "I didn't want to."

He blinked, "What?"

Emma gave a smirk as he sounded confused, "You can't make me."

He gave her a dark look, "I didn't heal you so you could hide in here as long as you stay."

"You healed me because you felt guilty I got hurt."

"Go down to dinner. Hiding here expected Belle to sneak you food isn't very civilized, get downstairs."

"You want to know what's not civilized?" Emma snapped, "Holding me here against my will."

"We'll play this game again shall we?" he raised an eyebrow, "You want to know what else also isn't civilized? Not telling me how to save my son. You have a son, Emma, you should know how-"

She was up before she realized what she as doing, anger shot through her. He would not use her son to manipulate her, "You want to know what's really really really uncivilized? Ripping me apart from my parents and forcing me to grow up alone and miserable so you could atone for your mistake of letting Bae fall through the vortex!"

He came at her then; Emma thought he was going to hurt her so she made sure to get into a position where she could defend herself. She might end up needing to deflect magic he looked so pissed.

"You don't need to be talking about things that you don't know, little princess," he snarled, "You don't know the pain that I felt the moment I let go. You don't know how much I regret it…how much I want to fix it…."

"At the expense of me losing my family."

"You got them back."

"I went for 28 years by myself!"

"And I've gone a lot longer. I've given too much for this and it'll all have been for nothing."

"Yeah, that's the thing about participating in the mass ruination of other people's lives," Emma snapped.

"He's my son and you're keeping me from him!"

"And you're keeping me from mine!" Emma shouted and then turned pleading, "Please….he's 12. And I went without him for ten of those years because I had no way to care for him. Mostly because I didn't have a backup or anyone to help because of you. Please don't take away his future as well."

Emma saw that he looked conflicted. He looked troubled at what she was telling him.

"Please," she begged, "He's Bae's son. Don't do anything to make him grow up like Bae did."

She saw the horror cross his face. She saw him try to figure out what she was begging him. Whether or not he already knew Bae was Henry's father, she couldn't remember. The last few days were such a blur.

"Then I can do this for him," he told her finally, "Your son can have his father. He doesn't have to grow up without him."

"No, that's not what needs to happen-."

"Come down for breakfast, that's not a request," he told her angrily, "And then afterwards we get to work"


	6. Chapter 6

Emma slept fitfully that night and tried to figure out what she should do. She could stall, she supposed until the curse hit or she managed to find a way home or out of the walls but what were the chances of that? Eventually he'd grow impatient and Emma would most likely suffer.

She had to keep reminding herself that this wasn't the Mr. Gold that she'd grown to know over the past few months. The quiet reserved plotting man that….let his temper show and hurt people. So maybe they weren't really all that different.

There was a red dress in the wardrobe that Emma put on. It was sort of pretty. The prettiest and certainly most pretentious thing she'd ever word. The fabric was something she didn't know but it was obviously some sort of wealthy material. The front covered her chest, but there was an open back.

Rumpelstiltskin…liked her in red apparently.

Emma got lost twice coming down to breakfast. When she arrived, she saw they were already eating without her.

"Emma," Belle greeted, "You've come down."

"Yeah," Emma looked between the two chairs, trying to figure out where she was supposed to sit, "I am."

Rumpelstiltskin waved his hand, another chair appeared next to him, "Someone finally decided to be sociable."

Emma ignored it and sat down. She grabbed her own plate and put eggs, bacon and pancakes on it.

"So," he started, "Have you learned your lesson?"

"I have to protect my son."

He bristled, "How will you protect him if you're turned into a toad?"

"Rumpelstiltskin," Belle scolded.

"I'm sure I'll talk then," she snapped "tell me, do you speak frog?"

"I'll speak whatever gets me Baelfire."

Emma glared at her plate, immediately shutting down mentally. He sighed and leaned over to her, "Emma….when I first held him….it wasn't until a couple of months after he was born. I missed his birth. But I tried to be there for him afterwards in ways that no one else, not even his mother could. I stayed up making sure he was safe, I spent countless hours making sure he was breathing. I stayed up with him when he was scared of the dark."

"He was still scared of the dark," Emma whispered and felt her voice catch, "He wouldn't sleep if it was pitch black where we were at."

Rumpelstiltskin looked like he was going to start sobbing at that admittance, "Emma, I let him go. I regret it and I regret what I'm going to have to do to you and your family already because you seem like a good woman with a good head on your shoulders."

Emma looked over at Belle who just looked terribly confused.

"Please," he took her hand, Emma tried to pull away on instinct but he kept a grip, "Please Emma. He's my son."

Emma felt the tears welling and she shut her eyes tightly, "What's happened has happened, it can't be changed. Hook told me that, you told me that…"

"Time travel was impossible once but someone achieved it, why can't this be changed? It can't all be for nothing Emma. All these years for a few days? A few weeks? A few months? Few years? I'd value the time we had but he deserves a lifetime. You know that."

Emma lowered her head, "I spent days trying to clean up my own mess when my mere existence kept my parents from meeting. I nearly lost my mother."

"You didn't."

"I could have."

"But you didn't," he told her gently.

"This is the same."

"It's not," he turned towards her, "Because it's Bae. Your son can have a father. Bae can have a son, he can have a lifetime."

"He hurt me," Emma clung to her own fears.

"Let him make up for that.'

"He did, he died a hero."

"Can't he live as one?" Rumpelstiltskin begged.

"And what if something happens to my son in payment?"

"And what happens if something doesn't?" Rumpelstiltskin challenged.

"You think that you could stop that?"

"I'm forsaking one world for the next to get my son back; of course I can make sure nothing bad happens to your boy."

"What?!" Belle explained from the other side of the table but he paid her no mind.

"You can't be there constantly."

"You tell me everything and we could work together. We could make sure nothing happens to your family."

"What about everyone else's?"

"If their fate wasn't tied to Bae's then nothing will happen."

"Would you send me back if I told you?"

He was hesitant, "Only you're the person who knows what's all supposed to happen. I would be flying blind without you, only risking making things worse. "

Emma felt a tear run down her face as she realized what he was proposing, "You want me to stay behind. Endure 28 years with you with the curse to make sure it all stays on track except for Bae."

He nodded.

"I can't," she whispered, "Regina would know."

"Regina doesn't have to see you."

"She would."

"Regina only sees what I let her," he snapped, "And you would be safe."

"Only if I did what you wanted," Emma toyed with her napkin. It was tempting, she couldn't deny that. To save Baelfire and ensure that Henry was safe. But she knew how easily things could spin out of control the moment that control was loosened.

And 28 years….28 long years ensuring that Bae could be alive. 28 years of being hidden just out of Regina's sight and watching what she put their son through. Watching Rumpelstiltskin manipulate and ruin lives. Could she do that?

Neal would do it for her. So their son could have a mother, he'd do it.

She closed her eyes tightly and let a tear escape. God, 28 years….and however more there was on top of that. But Neal could live….and they could work through…whatever they needed to work through.

He could find his happiness, with or without her.

"I'll do it," she whispered and she felt like she just made a terrible mistake.

He broke into an excited happy grin. He grabbed her hands and put them against his lips, "Thank you Emma. You've saved my son."

She felt his tears against her hands. She steeled herself against what she was going to be telling him next. She was messing with time anyway. And at least this way her baby brother could be safe and her mother wouldn't have to worry about losing another child, "Zelena kills him."

His eyes darkened, "She comes back?"

Emma nodded, "She's the one that broke the code."

He stood up angrily, "Get some pants and something that'll keep you dressed for the next few days."

"You're going to kill her?" Emma asked.

"Bae can't die that way," he told her simply.

"Won't that undo everything Zelena does? Bae's death, the time travel….code breaking. If she dies, then I never come here, won't that create a paradox?"

"Don't worry dearie, it'll just be like with your parents, a new timeline will have formed."

"Yeah but that only works because we fixed the damage."

"And I'm fixing this," he looked at Belle, "How would you like a green pelt, dear?"

Belle looked horrified, "Don't."

"Oh, this will happen," he growled, "This woman isn't like your petty thief you freed, she's much different."

"It's still a life."

"And I'm the Dark One," he screamed, "Or have you forgotten that?"


	7. Chapter 7

Emma wasn't thinking when she told the Dark One who killed his son. She wasn't sure she could explain what happened without telling him about Zelena but she was sure there would be a way

But she wasn't thinking. And now they were going to kill Zelena. She should plead for Zelena's life but she knew how that would go. He wouldn't listen to her and she wasn't sure where the relationship was to plead for Zelena for Belle's sake.

Not that she was sure she could convince him. Saving Zelena might be the good honest thing to do. The thing that heroes do but if someone manipulated Henry into dying…she wasn't sure what she'd do.

But Zelena's blood was about to be on Emma's hands….and Emma had sworn she wasn't going to play with time as it had consequences. So not only was going with him to Oz going to leave her with Zelena's death but it was going to mess with time in a way that she wasn't sure she was ready to handle yet.

There was a knock at the door; Rumpelstiltskin came in, "Are you packed yet?"

"Working on it," Emma muttered.

"You seem nervous."

"Messing with time is dangerous, I think that was a lesson I'd already learned and here we are going to go play with it again."

"For a good reason." 

Emma played with the bag that he'd given her to pack, "Did you want something?"

Rumpelstiltskin shifted and looked at her, "Why couldn't I save my son? Zelena killed him. _Zelena_. Half the time she spent angry, the other half she spent blubbering and slinging snot from one end of the castle to the other; both because she was jealous of her sister. How did _she _come to kill him?"

Emma stood up sharply and went to put some more things in the bag.

He realized she didn't answer, his face showed some rage, "Answer me!"

"I don't know all of how it happened," Emma said, "I wasn't there." 

"But you know things…I can tell. Why wasn't I there to protect him?"

Emma wouldn't look at him, "You die."

The silence took so long; Emma had to look at him to make sure he was still there. He was so still that he almost looked like a statue. He looked at her, his face showed how stunned he was, "I can't."

"You do."

"It's impossible." 

"It's not, I saw it. Everyone say you die. He died to bring you back."

"No," Rumpelstiltskin shook his head, "You're lying. I can't die. Nothing can kill me."

"Your dagger can."

His face darkened into a rage, "How do you know about that?"

"Because at one point I was protecting you from those who were going to use it it to kill you and take your power," she snapped.

"Are they who kill me?"

"No. No one….no one kills you, you used the dagger to kill someone else and yourself."

"Who?" he demanded.

"Your father," she whispered quietly.

She saw the raw fear cross his face. He drew in a panicked breath and shook his head, "He can't come back. He didn't want me, he threw me away." 

"It's not you that he wants."

He hesitated at the next question, "Bae?"

"Not him either," Emma wrapped her arms around herself.

HE seemed to figure it out, "Your son."

"He has the heart of the truest believer," she choked out. She closed her eyes and tried not to remember him lying there dying on the ground of that island, "You tried to stop him…but he tricked us, he followed us back and he was going to kill us until you stepped in and saved us. You saved the whole town. Bae thought of you as a hero."

His eyes lit up briefly but then darkened again, "So if I somehow cheat death…so I can survive and protect my son…"

"Pan might survive too," she whispered, "I can't let that happen. Not to Henry."

He looked around and straightened, "My life doesn't matter. You can stay behind and tell him, you can protect him. You're the savior. I can teach you how to use your magic." 

"And then what happens?" she asked, "If Zelena is dead? We all reunited so that I could stop Zelena. They cast a second curse so I could go back and save them. I'm with my son at the time. If you kill her, there's no reason for them to go back….and my other self…the one that will come to Storybrooke and do everything I've already done will have my son. I won't."

She saw his face fall.

She stepped closer to him, "Please don't separate me from Henry."

He searched her eyes and nodded, "I'll find another way…we…we'll find another way." 

She nodded, "Thank you."

"For Henry," he promised her.


End file.
